On the subject of taxation, there are two normative political theories which constitute the proverbial book-ends of the economic spectrum: Propertarians believe that taxation amounts to theft on behalf of the state, and that the protection of property is one of the sole responsibilities of civil authorities. Egalitarians believe that irrespective of taxation’s practical utility, the redistribution of wealth is a moral imperative for the government. Fortunately, there is much more room for argument here, especially among those who rightly see taxation as an unfortunate but necessary evil in light of the numerous legitimate responsibilities of the state.
The White House stated on Thursday that Syria crossed a “red line” with its use of chemical weapons, compelling the U.S. government to intensify the “scale and scope” of its support for the so-called Syrian opposition. Not unexpectedly, the eerily hawkish John McCain publically advised president Obama to exploit every tool at his disposal short of sending battalions of troops overseas. But even though such conservatives are for once unwilling to — as they so tritely say — put American boots on the ground, they’re foolhardily urging a course of action to ironically force freedom onto the tumultuous streets of Syria.
Parents are still passing on the expectations. Teachers are still teaching it. University faculties and community colleges talk about how job-ready their degrees, diplomas and certificates are. That’s nice. But the world of jobs is passing away before our eyes.
In a guest column for the Globe and Mail on Tuesday, June 11, the journalist Patrick Lagacé discussed the recent banning of turbans from soccer pitches in Quebec. His thesis was that the Quebec Soccer Federation's decision was not only wrong for its own sake, but also suggestive of something perverse in Quebec's view of secularism.
When I heard about the new CRTC rules for mobile providers in Canada, I was enthusiastic. The new rules, for example, that consumers would be able to terminate contracts after two years or that roaming charges including data traffic would be capped, so as to avoid nasty surprises, sounded perfectly positive. But the more I thought about it, the more I started doubting that this new regime would actually be beneficial to Canadian consumers.
A 50th anniversary edition of The Spy Who Came in from the Cold will appear this August, John LeCarré providing an introduction,, 'Fifty Years Later', already published in The Guardian in April. Coinciding with a new novel from him (A Delicate Truth), both The Spy and its author will probably gain renewed attention fir the rest of the year. It may be difficult for people under forty to understand the likely fuss, even if they should happen to see the superb film version, in which Richard Burton gave an unforgettable performance as Alec Leamas, the burnt-out spy. But the ghost of Leamas haunts all of us, for reasons that still matter.
Opposition Leader Tom Mulcair of the New Democrats announced yesterday that MP Matthew Kellway (Beaches-East York) was to take responsibility for the emerging Urban Affairs agenda of the NDP. You might wonder why this is news. So buckle up and let’s go on a trip.
Somewhere outside of Ottawa is an invisible shield which prevents Conservatives from entering the national capital region. Inside the city the water has been spiked and any Conservative who spends more than a few months in the capital will mutate into a slightly less pro-government Liberal.